Orthodontic Products Podcast

GUEST: Cassie Kellner, Owner, Everbloom EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Gen Alpha is coming to the orthodontic workforce sooner than you think — and Gen Z is already showing practices what they need to change. In this episode, host Alison Werner talks with Cassie Kellner, owner of practice consulting firm Everbloom, about why orthodontic offices can't afford to wait to modernize how they train, communicate with, and retain younger team members. With more than 20 years of clinical and consulting experience, Kellner breaks down why the traditional paper training manual is obsolete, how micro-learning and digital SOPs are reshaping onboarding, and why younger hires expect to understand the "why" behind their work. She also covers how practices can build structured growth pathways to guide compensation conversations, replace outdated annual reviews with continuous feedback, and put Gen Z and Gen Alpha's natural fluency with AI and social media to work for the practice. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EPISODE: ⚫ Why the traditional paper manual is obsolete and how to transition to digital microlearning (training videos under two minutes). ⚫ The importance of teaching the "why" behind clinical and administrative tasks to improve team buy-in and prevent burnout. ⚫ How to create structured growth pathways and tiers to guide compensation conversations and career advancement. ⚫ Why the "no news is good news" management philosophy fails with younger generations and how to restructure feedback. ⚫ Strategies for utilizing Gen Z and Gen Alpha's fluency with AI and digital platforms to improve practice marketing and operations. CHAPTERS: 01:43 Introduction to Gen Alpha and Workforce Entry 02:59 Gen Alpha's Digital Upbringing and Future Impact 04:09 Differences Between Gen Z and Gen Alpha 06:31 Why Digital Fluency Matters for Practices 08:22 The Death of Paper Manuals and Digital Transition 12:57 Microlearning and Short-Form Content Strategies 16:25 Adapting Onboarding for Digital Natives 22:18 Embracing AI and Digital Tools in Practice 25:22 Creating Growth Pathways and Career Development ABOUT THE GUEST: Cassie Kellner has 20+ years of orthodontic experience spanning clinical work, consulting, and lecturing. She owns Everbloom, a practice consulting firm focused on team dynamics and operations. 🔗 https://www.discovereverbloom.com/ #OrthodonticProducts #Orthodontics #GenAlpha #GenZ #PracticeManagement #DentalTeam #OrthoLeadership #Microlearning #WorkforceTrends #DigitalOnboarding #AIinDentistry #TeamTraining #EmployeeRetention __________ 👉 Connect & Subscribe Podcast: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music YouTube: Like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for future episodes. VISIT ORTHODONTIC PRODUCTS: https://orthodonticproductsonline.com/ SUBSCRIBE to THE OP NEWSLETTER: https://info.medqor.com/opsubform INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/orthoproductsmag/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/OrthoProducts/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ortho-products/ Have a question for a future episode? Drop it in the comments or email [email protected]

GUEST: Jeff Slater, Chief Growth Officer, KaleidoscopeAI EPISODE DESCRIPTION: For most of the last decade, scale won in orthodontics. Dental and orthodontic support organizations could out-spend, out-staff, and out-market independent practices on nearly every channel that mattered. But AI-powered search is quietly rewriting that math. When a patient asks ChatGPT, Claude, or Google's AI Overview to recommend an orthodontist, those systems aren't serving up ten blue links — they're naming two or three practices out loud. And what they're judging those practices on is easier for an independent to produce than for a DSO or OSO running the same templates across dozens of locations. In this episode of the Orthodontic Products Podcast, host Alison Werner sits down with Jeff Slater, Chief Growth Officer at KaleidoscopeAI and the team behind the KAL AI Growth System, to unpack how AI is reshaping who gets recommended in orthodontics, why the standardization that made DSOs efficient now works against them, and what independent practice owners should be doing right now to make sure their practice is the one AI recommends to patients — before that window closes. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EPISODE: 🔹 AI search rewards distinctiveness, not scale — templated content repeated across DSO locations reads as duplicate to AI, while an independent practice's unique voice, local flavor, and doctor-driven expertise get cited and recommended. 🔹 Not every search "triggers" an AI Overview, but conversational, question-based queries like "who is the best orthodontist in my town" do — and those are exactly the searches patients are increasingly using to choose a provider. 🔹 Getting recommended by AI depends on three core signals: enough substantive information on your site, a Q&A or FAQ content structure, and technical elements like schema and structured data that help AI parse your content. 🔹 A steady stream of recent, descriptive Google reviews is the single highest-leverage move a practice can make — Slater recommends aiming for one to two per week and prioritizing reviews over blogging or auditing if you can only pick one. 🔹 The window for independents to establish an AI-visibility head start is likely open through the end of 2027 before DSOs catch up at scale — and showing up in AI results today may just reflect legacy SEO strength, not a durable advantage. CHAPTERS: 01:03 – When the AI power shift started and why 2026 is the inflection point 03:05 – What it means for a keyword to "trigger" a Google AI Overview 04:22 – The fleet vs. single boat metaphor and why standardization hurts DSOs 06:05 – What kind of content AI actually rewards on a practice's website 08:21 – Inside the KAL AI Growth System and the AI Visibility Scan 10:56 – SEO, AEO, and GEO explained 14:15 – Why images alone won't cut it and the return of written content 16:36 – When AI misrepresents your practice and how to control the narrative 19:23 – Why blogging is back and how to do it for AI 21:40 – Move #1: Audit what AI sees when patients search for you 24:43 – Move #2: Publish pages only your practice can write 26:55 – Move #3: Keep reviews and directory data current 31:08 – If you can only pick one, start with reviews 33:56 – How long the independent-practice window stays open ABOUT THE GUEST: Jeff Slater is Chief Growth Officer at KaleidoscopeAI, a full-service orthodontic marketing agency with nearly two decades in the specialty and the team behind the KAL AI Growth System. __________ 👉 Connect & Subscribe Podcast: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for future episodes. VISIT ORTHODONTIC PRODUCTS: https://orthodonticproductsonline.com/ SUBSCRIBE to THE OP NEWSLETTER: https://info.medqor.com/opsubform INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/orthoproductsmag/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/OrthoProducts/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ortho-products/ Have a question for a future episode? Drop it in the comments or email [email protected] #Orthodontics #OrthodonticMarketing #IndependentPractice #AISearch #ChatGPT #GoogleAIOverview #DSO #DentalMarketing #PracticeGrowth #SEO #AEO #GEO #KaleidoscopeAI #OrthodonticProduct

GUESTS: Drs Stephen Sherman Jr, Kramer Sherman, and David Balhoff of Sherman & Balhoff Orthodontics EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Making a major clinical transition in your orthodontic practice is never easy—especially when it means walking away from a top-tier status with a legacy clear aligner brand. In this episode of the Orthodontic Products Podcast, sponsored by Ormco, host Alison Werner speaks with orthodontists Drs Stephen Sherman, Kramer Sherman, and David Balhoff about the evolution of their thriving, multi-generational Louisiana-based practice and their strategic decision to transition to Spark Aligners. Despite initial hesitations about losing referral networks and pricing perks, the doctors explain why making the switch ultimately benefited their workflow. They detail how reliable technical support and dedicated customer service from Ormco drastically reduced their "digital homework," minimized refinements, and improved their work-life balance. They also discuss the clinical applications of Spark Aligners for complex cases and explain how consolidating brackets and aligners onto a unified digital platform is preparing their practice for the future. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EPISODE: —Navigating Transitions Smoothly: How to successfully transition to a new clear aligner system without disrupting practice momentum, team morale, or profitability. —Reclaiming Your After-Hours: The impact of reliable technical support and consistent setups in reducing evening treatment planning ("digital homework") and reclaiming work-life balance. —Overcoming Status Anxiety: Why walking away from top-tier status with a legacy brand doesn't have to hurt your patient referrals or bottom line. —Clinical Versatility: Tips for treating complex cases, including open bites, severe crowding, and Class II malocclusions, with Spark Aligners. —Digital Consolidation: The operational and financial advantages of consolidating brackets and aligners onto a single platform to streamline vendor points of contact. CHAPTERS: 01:20 - History of Sherman & Balhoff Orthodontics 04:07 - Navigating a Multi-Generational Family Practice 08:07 - Aligner Case Percentages & the Decision to Switch 10:17 - Overcoming the Fear of Losing Top-Tier Status 12:44 - Reducing "Digital Homework" and After-Hours Work 14:12 - Clinical Success: Complex Cases & Spark Aligners 16:28 - Elevating Clinical Confidence Through Continuing Education 18:11 - Staff Buy-In and Implementing System Transitions 22:47 - Consolidating Brackets and Aligners on One Platform 24:30 - Advice for Orthodontists Considering an Aligner Switch ABOUT THE GUESTS: Drs Stephen Sherman Jr, Kramer Sherman, and David Balhoff are partners at Sherman & Balhoff Orthodontics, a multi-generational, four-location practice serving the Baton Rouge, Louisiana community. __________ 👉 Connect & Subscribe Podcast: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for future episodes. VISIT ORTHODONTIC PRODUCTS: https://orthodonticproductsonline.com/ SUBSCRIBE to THE OP NEWSLETTER: https://info.medqor.com/opsubform INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/orthoproductsmag/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/OrthoProducts/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ortho-products/ Have a question for a future episode? Drop it in the comments or email [email protected] #Orthodontics #ClearAligners #SparkAligners #Orthodontist #PracticeManagement #DigitalOrthodontics

GUEST: Kevin Simmons, Enterprise Sales Director for Cloud 9 at Planet DDS EPISODE DESCRIPTION: In this episode of the Orthodontic Products Podcast, host Alison Werner sits down with Kevin Simmons, Enterprise Sales Director for Cloud 9 at Planet DDS, to discuss the key findings from the company’s newly released 2026 Mid-Year Dental Industry Outlook Report. Drawing on data from over 8,000 practices—including 2,500 orthodontic clinics—Simmons breaks down the macroeconomic and clinical factors driving specialty and orthodontic groups to outpace general dentistry with a 5.5% growth rate. The conversation dives deep into the operational blind spots that hinder practice expansion, specifically addressing the concept of "process debt" caused by disconnected legacy software. Simmons explores the striking contrast between case acceptance and case completion rates, explains how automation can alleviate clinical labor shortages, and shares how mid-sized DSOs can overcome infrastructure hurdles to build long-term enterprise value. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EPISODE: — Specialty Growth Outpaces General Dentistry: Specialty and orthodontic practices are showing stronger financial resilience, achieving a 5.5% growth rate over the past year compared to just 1.8% for general dentistry DSOs. — The Cost of "Process Debt": Relying on disconnected legacy software systems creates operational drag, high overhead, and front-office bottlenecks for expanding orthodontic groups. — Tracking the Case Completion Gap: While case acceptance averages 61% across the industry, case completion sits at just 49%, highlighting the critical need for orthodontic practices to track treatment efficiency and timeline metrics. — Combating Staffing Shortages with Automation: With 70% to 90% of dental offices struggling to fill clinical roles, implementing automated tools for appointment reminders and revenue cycle management (RCM) can keep patients on track while reducing administrative burdens. — Standardization Drives DSO Enterprise Value: Mid-sized DSOs (20 to 50 locations) often hit an infrastructure wall; standardizing practice management software is key to unlocking further growth and preparing for future AI integrations. CHAPTERS: 01:21 Introduction to the 2026 Dental Industry Outlook Report 01:57 Deep Dive into Industry Data and Practice Inclusion 03:54 Growth Trends in Specialty and Orthodontic Practices 06:17 Process Debt and Operational Standardization 08:58 Case Completion and Treatment Efficiency 11:18 Staffing Challenges and Recruitment 13:57 Automation for Patient Care and Revenue Cycle 15:34 Infrastructure Gaps in Growing Practice Groups 17:16 Surprising Growth Trends in the Report 18:53 Building a Connected Data Foundation 20:00 What to Watch in Future Industry Data 22:13 Takeaways for Independent Practices ABOUT THE GUEST: Kevin Simmons is the Enterprise Sales Director for Cloud 9 at Planet DDS, specializing in cloud-native practice management solutions and operational growth strategies for orthodontic groups and DSOs. __________ 👉 Connect & Subscribe Podcast: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for future episodes. VISIT ORTHODONTIC PRODUCTS: https://orthodonticproductsonline.com/ SUBSCRIBE to THE OP NEWSLETTER: https://info.medqor.com/opsubform INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/orthoproductsmag/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/OrthoProducts/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ortho-products/ Have a question for a future episode? Drop it in the comments or email [email protected] #Orthodontics #DSO #PracticeManagement #PlanetDDS #Cloud9 #DentalIndustry #OrthodonticProducts #DentalAutomation

GUEST: Thomas Crary, DDS EPISODE DESCRIPTION: In this episode of the Orthodontic Products Podcast, sponsored by Solventum, host Alison Werner sits down with Dr Thomas Crary, a board-certified orthodontist in Minnesota, to discuss a technological shift in clear aligner therapy. They examine the transition from conventional, intraorally cured attachments to pre-formed, 3D-printed alternatives, exploring how the traditional attachment workflow has long introduced clinical unpredictability for orthodontic teams. Drawing on his background in engineering, Crary explains why manual flash removal can compromise attachment geometry, leave behind residues, and disrupt the aligner delivery appointment. He shares his firsthand clinical experience as a pilot tester for Solventum's Clarity Precision Grip Attachments, highlighting how fully cured, pre-formed composite attachments provide a precise replica of the digital plan, leading to better tracking, enhanced durability, and a smoother experience for both the clinical team and patients. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EPISODE: The Unpredictability of Delivery: Traditional aligner delivery appointments are often highly unpredictable due to the manual process of filling attachment wells and managing composite flash. The Pitfalls of Flash Removal: Manual flash removal using a handpiece is imprecise, noisy, and can easily damage attachment geometry or leave behind invisible residue that compromises aligner fit. Better Tracking Accuracy: Pre-formed, 3D-printed attachments are exact replicas of the digital plan, significantly improving tooth tracking and aligner engagement for complex movements. Stronger Bond Interfaces: Because pre-formed attachments are fully cured out of the box, clinicians can apply firm seating pressure during bonding to create a thinner, stronger bond interface without distorting the attachment. Seamless Team Implementation: Transitioning to pre-formed attachments reduces chair time, eliminates the need for handpiece cleanup, and is highly favored by clinical assistants for its ease of use.CHAPTERS: 03:14 - The Problem With Conventional Aligner Attachments 05:07 - Why the Delivery Appointment Is Unpredictable 07:09 - The True Clinical Impact of Adhesive Flash 08:36 - How 3D-Printed Attachments Transform Bonding 10:54 - Improving Aligner Engagement and Tooth Tracking 13:03 - Optimizing Attachment Selection and Case Types 14:16 - Durability, Stain Resistance, and Bond Strength Benefits 16:57 - Implementation Tips and Team Training Nuances 19:25 - The Core Value of Clarity Precision Grip Attachments ABOUT THE GUEST: Thomas Crary, DDS, is a board-certified orthodontist at Milestone Orthodontics in Minnesota. __________ 👉 Connect & Subscribe Podcast: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔 for future episodes. VISIT ORTHODONTIC PRODUCTS: https://orthodonticproductsonline.com/ SUBSCRIBE to THE OP NEWSLETTER: https://info.medqor.com/opsubform INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/orthoproductsmag/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/OrthoProducts/ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ortho-products/ Have a question for a future episode? Drop it in the comments or email [email protected] #Orthodontics #ClearAligners #Solventum #OrthodonticProducts #DentalTechnology #3DPrinting